Chapter 16 - In the Mirror of Darkness

Summary

Rand, Loial, and Hurin ride through the pale, distorted landscape and discover a spire that Loial identifies as a corrupted version of Artur Hawkwing's monument, realizing they are in a reflection of a world where the Trollocs won. They encounter Selene, a beautiful woman from Cairhien who claims to be lost in this world, and Rand saves her from a grolm by shooting its eye while entering the void. Selene applies a salve to Rand's branded hand and offers knowledge about the nature of these 'worlds that might be' and a Portal Stone that could return her home, but Rand refuses to divert from his pursuit of the Horn of Valere, prompting Selene to join their company as a pack of grolm approaches from behind.

Characters

• Rand / Rand al'Thor (my Lord, Lord Rand) — Rand leads his companions through the strange world, rides up to Hawkwing's spire, and shoots a grolm to save Selene, later refusing her request to take her to a Portal Stone so he can continue hunting the Darkfriends.
• Loial (Builder, the alantin) — Loial accompanies Rand and Hurin, identifies the spire's corruption, and begins discussing history and the Ways with Selene, who notes that some Elders lack her historical knowledge.
• Hurin (my Lord, the sniffer) — Hurin tracks the faint scent of Darkfriends through the world, spots a woman at the spire, stares at Selene in awe, and reports that the trail is angling west toward the mountains.
• Selene (my Lady) — Selene is a tall, ivory-pale woman from Cairhien who appears in this world, saves herself from a grolm, applies salve to Rand's hand, and claims knowledge of Portal Stones.
• Red — Red is Rand's bay stallion, which Rand rides through the distorted landscape, gallops toward the spire, and is confronted by Selene's white mare.